LIFESTYLE | The Library

Since I picked up my first Jacqueline Wilson novel many moons ago, I've been an avid reader. You can often find me cosied up in bed, on the sofa or in the bath with a good old book. For me, there's nothing quite like losing yourself in a fantasy world to escape reality. I'm definitely someone who gets "too into" books and I've been known to shed a tear or two once I've finished one as I feel like I know the characters - oh the shame. Anyway, that's enough emotional talk. I've picked a few of my favourite authors and books to share with you in the hope that you'll find a new book love.

I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk

This is the book that I've most recently read and surprisingly, I loved it. I got this free with Glamour magazine a long time ago (probably a couple of years ago now) and I threw it aside thinking it'd be rubbish. But when I had no books left to read - and no money to buy any new ones - I delved into this one and fell completely in love. It's lighthearted, witty, hilarious and exactly what every girl needs to read. It's basically about a woman called Angela who catches her fiance cheating and runs away to New York. It's one of those books that'll make you laugh and cry at the same time.

Nicholas Sparks 

This man is without a doubt the man of my dreams. I've read nearly all of his novels and it's safe to say that he is my favourite author. As a full on romantic, he writes the kind of books that I love reading and getting lost in and I most definitely blame him for my warped view on love. The book pictured is called The Rescue and definitely my favourite of the books I've read. It's beautiful and one that I couldn't predict despite Nicholas Sparks using running themes throughout his novels. I need this book to be made into a film because it's absolutely perfect. If you're new to the world of Nicholas Sparks, I definitely recommend The Rescue to get you into him.

Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

I have a love/hate relationship with this series. I love it because well, it's wonderful but I hate it because of the films. I read these books five years ago when my best friend at school was obsessed with them and immediately, I fell in love with Edward Cullen. The books are true fantasy love stories that keep you turning the page. However the films aren't very good at all in my opinion. I'm not a fan of the way the characters are portrayed by the actors and the films don't do the books justice. At all. And now, I can't re-read these books because when I do, all I see is the awkwardness of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Sigh. But good books nonetheless.

Madeleine Wickham and Sophie Kinsella 

Madeleine Wickham is Sophie Kinsella's real name and she writes under both the names - pretty confusing, uh?! I first discovered Sophie Kinsella when I read Confessions of a Shopaholic. As a lover of the film, I bought myself the book and loved her witty style of writing. Since then, I've read all of the books by her as they're great lighthearted "poolside" reads. The one pictured is Twenties Girl which is about a woman called Lara who keeps receiving visits from her late great aunt Sadie. Sounds a bit spooky but it's definitely not. The other book pictures is Madeleine Wickham's Swimming Pool Sunday which I randomly bought after deciding to give Sophie Kinsella's other books a chance. I wasn't expecting much as I assumed that these books were for "older" people but I really enjoyed it. Basically, an accident happens and lots of twists and turns occur. I couldn't put this book down and read it in one day - the joys of being poolside in the sun with a good book in one hand and a glass of Pepsi in the other.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I bought these last year whilst on holiday and hearing Joey Graceffa rave about them constantly. I loved them so much that I read the entire trilogy in one week and have since read every book again. They're not the kind of books that I usually go for but oh my, they're extremely gripping. The trilogy is set in future America where it has been divided into districts and the Capitol. Each year, an awful reality show happens whereby two children from each district are forced to fight to the death - there can only be one winner. There's also a nice little love story running alongside the main storyline which of course, I loved.

One Day by David Nicholls

I read this on recommendation from my sister who rarely ever reads so when I found out that she'd actually finished a book, I knew I had to read it. I'm not the biggest fan of the way that it's written - I like shorter chapters - but it is an incredible book that's set out in a very strange way. The book is set out over twenty years and each chapter represents a different year. It's a heartbreaking love story and the ending didn't end how I wanted it to at all. It's a book that teaches you how short life really is. I also fell in love with Dexter while reading this - he's a beauty.

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Okay I admit it... I'm cheating a little bit with this one as I'm yet to read Bridget Jones's Diary. However two weeks ago I watched the film for the first time - I know, I know, twenty years old and only just watching the film is a crime in itself - but I loved it so much that I decided to buy the book. Although I'm not impressed with the front cover (never judge a book by its cover is a complete lie) I am definitely excited to read this book. If it's anything like the film, it's going to wonderful to bury my head in.

Britney: Inside the Dream by Steve Dennis

I love reading biographies about those that I love and if you don't already know (first of all, where have you been?!) I'm literally the biggest Britney Spears fan you'll ever meet. If you don't happen to love old Britterz quite as much as I do (you must be mental!) then I can still guarantee you that her life is one you'll enjoy reading about. It's so fascinating and the best part of it all is that these biographies are just speculation. Despite being one of the most photographed women ever, since her breakdown she's been extremely reserved and we don't actually know a lot about her. Britney: Inside the Dream is incredible and although it's a bit outdated now, it still explores a lot of her breakdown. I'd also recommend reading Lynne Spears' Through The Storm which is about as close to the truth as we'll ever get (unless Ms. Spears releases her autobiography). Through The Storm is an autobiography by Britney's mother and although it explores a lot about her life and past, it touches on a lot of Britney issues and also Jamie Lynn's pregnancy. A truly gripping and heartbreaking book.

Phew. What a long post. I hope you enjoyed it and I've given you a few reading suggestions. Please do let me know any books that you recommend as I'm always on the lookout for new reads. I'm considering reading Me Before You as I've seen a lot of bloggers talking about it and it sounds like my kind of book. I just need that little push to get me to buy it so if you've read it and enjoyed it, let me know in the comments.

What are your favourite books? Have you read any of the ones mentioned above? Leave me your recommendations below.

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SKIN CARE | REN Radiance skin care

REN is a brand that bloggers love and a brand that loves bloggers. So when this little beauty found its way into my postbox, I was extremely excited. I'm all about radiance when it comes to skincare and anything that promises to renew my skin is an instant winner with me. This little gift bag contained three of REN's best selling products from their Radiance line and I've been extremely excited trying them all out.

Micro Polish Cleanser* - £20.00 full sized

Gone are the days when I used to manually exfoliate my skin. Since discovering glycolic acid, it's rare that I come into contact with an exfoliator with beads in it but this one is pleasantly surprising. It claims to deeply cleanse and exfoliate the skin to leave it looking purified, renewed and radiant. REN recommend using this 2-3 times a week, applying it to damp skin and gently massaging in circular motions. Like I mentioned, I do like this. It leaves my skin feeling beautifully soft and it definitely refines my pores. However, I don't love it. If I hadn't have discovered the wonder that is acid exfoliation then maybe this would have been a firm favourite of mine. But sadly, I won't be buying the full size any time soon.

Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask* - £30.00 full sized

This little beauty is a firm blogger favourite. It promises to renew the complexion, reduce the appearance of fine lines and dramatically improve skin tone. I'm all for anything with glycolic acid on the ingredients list and anything that claims to improve my nasty scars so when I saw that this product was included in the gift box, I eeeeked in excitement. I couldn't wait to try it out and at first, I didn't like it. It irritated my eyes and once washed off, I didn't notice much difference to my skin - other than the way that it felt. It felt beautifully soft but that was it. No visible difference. It wasn't until the next morning that I realised why it was a blogger favourite. My skin looked brighter, healthier and more radiant as soon as I woke up. My blemishes and blackheads had been reduced and although I didn't see a difference in my skin tone, the brightening effect made me fall in love. Despite the fact that it does make my eyes water, I need the full sized version in my life.

Satin Perfection BB Cream* - £26.00 full sized

I'm not a big BB Cream fan and I've only ever come across a couple that I like so needless to say, I wasn't excited about this product at all. This BB Cream is silicone free and has colour adaptive technology which means that it blends seamlessly into your skin tone. Whilst this doesn't provide enough coverage for me (I'd say light but buildable) it does leave the skin looking even toned and luminous. The finish isn't dead-matte, it's more of a satin finish that makes the skin look radiant and healthy. If you're someone who doesn't require a lot of coverage then I'd definitely recommend having a little look at this as the finish is beautiful.

Overall, I'm impressed with this range. The Radiance Renewal Mask is perfect and I'll definitely be purchasing the full size. The Micro Polish Cleanser is a lovely addition that my skin has loved using however because I'm more of a chemical exfoliant gal, I won't be repurchasing. The same goes for the BB Cream. If my skin ever improves dramatically then I'll definitely look further into this as the finish is stunning.

Have you tried out anything from the REN Radiance range? What's your favourite REN product?
*PR Sample

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NAILS | Sinful Colors in Unicorn and Pink Forever

I love nail polish and I especially love nail polish when it's £1.99. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to the wonderful Sinful Colors. I do believe that this brand has been in Boots stores for quite a while now but my local one has yet to stock them. So when I went back home, I popped into Boots, saw the Sinful Colors stand and nearly walked out with the whole lot. But I restrained myself as my nail polish collection is already quite extensive - and you know, you can only wear a maximum of twenty nail polishes at a time.

I decided on the colours Unicorn and Pink Forever as for the most part, they're unlike most of the shades I already own. Unicorn (what a pretty name!) is a gorgeous milky yellow and the Pink Forever is a sort of pink with a hint of purple. The formula of these polishes is really nice - especially Pink Forever's. It's opaque in one coat and wears nicely. Unicorn requires a little bit more work and usually, it's opaque after a couple of coats but sometimes it can apply streaky.

I will also warn you that Unicorn will stain your nails. Even though I used a base coat, my nails are now pretty badly stained yellow and it looks like I'm a smoker - not a look that I was originally going for. So now, I'm a bit careful with Unicorn as although it's a beautiful colour, I don't think it's very good for my nails themselves. But hey, for £1.99 you can't really complain. I should probably add that I haven't had any problems with Pink Forever.

You can view the entire range here where they also do matte, glitter, pearl and shimmer polishes. 

Have you tried any Sinful Colors polishes? Which shades would you recommend?

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HAIR | YUKO

This review is long overdue and I'm shocked that I haven't talked about these products before on my blog. They're products that I find myself reaching for constantly as my hair absolutely loves them. YUKO was founded as a hair straightening system and it's now used in over 70,000 salons worldwide. Salons can be expensive so luckily for us, YUKO boast a homecare range that has been targeted at coloured hair, dry, chemically treated and frizzy hair. Ever since I ombred my hair, it's been extremely dry and damaged at the ends (despite still being oily at the roots) so I've been looking for light products that moisturise my hair without weighing it down.

Repair Through* - £15.00

This product really is a little star. Repair Through is marketed as a heat protector that you use on wet hair. I have pretty long hair that tangles up incredibly easy so I spritz this onto my hair after I've stepped out of the shower and immediately it's de-tangled. This product contains moisturising agents and amino acids which help to protect the hair whilst maintaining moisture, preventing damage and split ends. Essentially, this is a heat defence with the added benefit of being a leave-in conditioning spray. After blow drying my hair, my hair feels gorgeously soft and bouncy and I find myself constantly swishing my lovely locks around.

Anti-Frizz Serum* - £15.00

This serum is made with a unique blend of natural plant oils that aim to keep the hair soft, shiny and frizz free. During these hot summer weeks the UK have been experiencing, my usually tame hair has taken a turn for the worst - that's right, it's been a frizzy mess. And all I can say is; "thank god for this product." It instantly smooths the hair down and leaves it looking beautiful and frizz free. The formula is quite watery and at first, I found myself using way too much product so the key to this is to apply is sparingly - you really don't need a lot. I've been using this almost everyday and the product's barely gone down.

I adore both of these products. They work together extremely well and like I mentioned at the beginning of this post, none of them weigh my hair down. In fact, the Repair Through mist helps my hair look more bouncy. I also don't believe that the price of these are too bad. If you compare the price of these to the other salon brands then you'll notice that these are pretty middle end.

Have you tried anything from YUKO before? What are your favourite hair care products?
*PR Sample

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The eyeliner wardrobe | Collection 2000, NYX, Cargo

L-R Collection 2000, NYX, Cargo Cosmetics

L-R Collection 2000, NYX, Cargo Cosmetics

For me, eyeliner completes a look. It defines the eyes, adds depth and brings the look together. Granted, I used to be a big pencil eyeliner lover when I was younger, scribbling it all over my eyes and thinking I looked "sexy" but when it comes to felt tip, liquid liners, I'm pretty new to the business. I have three of these little beauties that I flit between and I love them all equally. It's most definitely a love affair and I must say that I've noticed a couple of green-eyes being darted around my eyeliner drawer.

The one that lasts all day - Collection 2000 Extreme 24h Felt Tip Liner £2.99

I've mentioned this eyeliner before. In fact, it's in the majority of my "Face of the Day" posts as I've been using it for yonks. It's very easy to use and it's the first liquid liner that I fell in love with. It glides onto the eyes, sets to a matte finish and stays put all day long. I've tested this fast drying eyeliner in many conditions - heat, concerts, nightclubs, snow. Everywhere you could imagine and it's never ended up sliding down my face. It's extremely affordable at £2.99 and it has five star reviews on the Boots website. It also comes in four different colour variations (black, purple, blue and teal) so you can let your inner colour goddess out.

The one that's easy to use - NYX The Curve* £14.00

This is a strange little contraption. When I first saw it, I was a little confused by it. All my felt tip liner loving life, I've been used to the standard pen shaped liners but this innovative eyeliner makes applying liner mistake-proof. It's very easy to hold which makes it easy to use and going wrong with this liner is practically impossible. The thin nib draws out a deep black line effortlessly - I'm shocked every other brand hasn't followed suit. You can see an example of a look I created using this eyeliner here. Me, creating an almost perfect flick?! I never thought it'd happen but alas, this eyeliner is incredible.

The versatile one - Cargo Texas Liner* £13.00

If you'd have placed a chunky eyeliner in front of me a few months ago, I'd have ran a mile. Needless to say, I've always been intimidated by them and threw them off to the side. But this chubby felt tip liner is easy to control and allows you to create a subtle or dramatic look. It's quick drying which means one sweep across the eyes and you're ready to leave the house - no nasty eyeliner marks in the crease over here. The colour is intense, long lasting and as I've already mentioned, extremely versatile. The water-based formula is crease proof and allows you create a thin line with the precise nib or a more defined look when you flip it on its side.

If you asked me to choose between the three, I wouldn't be able to. They're all perfect in their own way. Yes, they have similar qualities - long lasting, intense colour and easy to remove but each has their own added quality that benefits it in one way or another. I will throw my hands up and say that yes, I am an eyeliner addict and I'm certainly not ashamed.

What's your favourite eyeliner?

*PR Sample

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